He was born August 11, 1920, in Corry, Pennsylvania, to Peter and Mary Swanson. He graduated from Indiana (Pennsylvania) Teachers College and then enlisted in the Army where he served as an officer in the Signal Corps in England and France during World War II. After leaving the Army with the rank of Major, he married Marie Manda of East Orange, New Jersey, in 1946. He earned a doctorate from Columbia University and had a university teaching career which included Thiel College (Pennsylvania), Columbia University, and Ball State University (Indiana). He retired from Ball State University as a Full Professor after also serving as an Associate Dean in the College of Business. He was a co-author of a highly successful and popular series of high school textbooks, 20th Century Bookkeeping and Century 21 Accounting. Robert was a devout Catholic who served in church affairs and was a former president of the church council and also active in the retiree's group at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Bloomington, Indiana.

He is preceded in death by his son, Robert McLean Swanson, Jr. and his sister, Alma Bonney.

He is survived by his wife, Marie (Manda) Swanson; his sister, Edna Donor of Longwood, Florida; his children, Catherine Swanson of Indianapolis, Indiana, Mary Ann Swanson (Ian Horn) of Wales, UK, and Christina Swanson, DVM, (Allen Parkes) of Bloomington, Indiana; as well as his daughter-in-law, Dee Swanson, DNP, of Bloomington, Indiana. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Olivia Oleson (Jack), Christa Parkes, Jacquelyn Parkes, and Shea Parkes (Angelique); and several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 3, 2015 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Bloomington, Indiana with Father Thomas Kovatch officiating. The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday at the church.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneralhome.org.

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